Dan Hipkiss, the Leicester centre who failed to make the England Saxons squad for the Churchill Cup, was yesterday called up to replace Danny Cipriani for next month's senior tour to New Zealand. England decided to replace a fly-half with a centre because they felt they had cover at No10 in Olly Barkley and Toby Flood, who have full caps in the position. Hipkiss has leapfrogged the centres in the Saxons squad, including his Montpellier-bound clubmate Ollie Smith, after impressing in last Sunday's Premiership semi-final against Gloucester at Kingsholm.

"Dan has been playing well for Leicester in recent weeks and deserves his chance," said the England team manager, Martin Johnson. "I discussed suitable candidates to replace Danny with Rob Andrew [the tour manager] and the coaches yesterday and we decided to go with Dan because we had good cover at outside-half."

Cipriani is starting rehabilitation after suffering a fracture dislocation of his right ankle while playing for Wasps against Bath. He is expected to resume full training in six months, which would rule him out of the November internationals.

Wasps will tomorrow announce two new recruits for next season. The 34-year-old France flanker Serge Betsen and the 32-year-old New Zealand scrum-half Mark Robinson are expected to be at Adams Park next season.

The Barbarians yesterday revealed their squad to face England at Twickenham on June 1. It contains a number of England internationals, including the Gloucester backs Iain Balshaw and Lesley Vainikolo, who were left out of the squad for New Zealand. England will only have three capped players in their forwards but the Barbarians have called on Danny Grewcock and Mark Regan. The scrum-half Andy Gomarsall, dropped during the Six Nations, is also included, as are Australia's Stephen Larkham and Wales's Gareth Thomas.

Newcastle have appointed Steve Bates as director of rugby, two months after sacking John Fletcher. Bates has been acting as caretaker, and after the Falcons finished one off the bottom of the Premiership he has signed a three-year contract.

"We have a big improvement to make in a number of areas," said the former England scrum-half, who said he was close to signing three players and a defence coach. "Having met with the players collectively and individually, they are buying in to what we are trying to achieve. A perception exists outside of this club that perhaps we will struggle next season. If teams come to Kingston Park with that sort of attitude, it will play right in to our hands."

The Newcastle chairman, Dave Thompson, said: "We considered applicants from all over the world but Steve's experience and know-how made him the prime candidate. He inherited the team in very difficult circumstances and with a full summer to work on things, our target of qualifying for the Heineken Cup is achievable."